He stared at her. She was willing to do anything to get him to safety. She might have given reason, but he still didn't deserve it. Savage looked at her, she might be a frightened child, but he had seen the young woman, the warrior behind those eyes. She was no longer a child; she had never truly been a child. She'd never had the chance.
"Go Savage, please." Her eyes were watering, she feared what would happen if her Dad should find out. She wanted so badly to spend more time with him, to talk to him and learn more about his past, and how it affected her now, but she wanted him safe above all. He'd looked after her, true he hadn't always come through for her, but she'd have been in a lot worse state if he'd not been there to look after her. She wanted to give him a chance, a second chance to do things right. He couldn't do that here. And it wasn't like Dagur would give him the chance.
"Here, take this." Savage said suddenly, pulling a gold bracelet from his arm and handing it to her. "A long time ago your... I mean... Tallulah had this made. It has two halves that can join together. After she was killed I found the other half... I wore both in her memory. You should have it now, so even after I'm gone, somehow we'll still both be with you." Camicazi stared at him in numb disbelief. This was a very sentimental gift. She pulled from her own neck a thin cord with a dragons' scale on it. One of Sparky's.
"Then you have to take this. So you'll have a part of me too." He took the necklace and she the bracelet.
"I'm proud of you." He said quietly as he walked towards the little boat. "You've come so far since I first met you, and even in the last few days you've come so very far. You've coped with so much more than you should ever have had to, and yet somehow you've still come out of it strong and wonderful. I hope someday I get to see you as the fierce warrior and dragon trainer I know you'll become. You're going to be an amazing woman Camicazi, I just hope I get the chance to see it." At this point Camicazi ran forwards and hugged him tightly.
"I don't want to say goodbye... What if I never do see you again?" She whispered through very soft tears she was pretending weren't there.
"Someday Camicazi. Someday we will see each other again. I promise." He replied, crouching down to hug her properly.
"I hope so... I'm going to miss you Savage." She said as he held her at arm's length to look at her clearly, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"I'm going to miss you too. But we shall see each other again, I'm sure of it. But for now, we say goodbye." He kissed her forehead and climbed into the boat, cutting the ropes that held it to the shore.
"Goodbye." She breathed as the boat began to move away slowly. A small wave of her hand and Sparky took to the air, beating his wings in an effort to help the boat move away faster. As Savage's figure shrank into the distance, she saw him raise and hand to wave farewell. She raised her own as silent tears fell down her face.
Hiccup had Toothless swoop silently down behind her. He dismounted and walked over to wrap his arms around his crying daughter.
"It's alright baby." He soothed as she shook in his arms. He didn't want her to think he was angry; he just needed her to know he understood and that he was there for her.
"Are you mad at me?" She said in a quiet voice he'd never get used to hearing, but never tired of.
"Of course not. I was worried when I found you gone. But I'm not angry about what you've done. I understand why you did it." She sniffed at they stood there for a moment to watch the ship sail off growing ever smaller. "Let's get you home." He said gently after a while. She didn't protest and simply wrapped her arms around him like a child. Hiccup scooped her up, thankful that for once she was conscious and carried her over to Toothless. Sparky landed close by and looked on uncertainly. Cami looked at him over Hiccup's shoulder.
"Sparky, go back to the academy boy. I'll see you in the morning." The dragon paused a moment longer but then obediently flew off. Hiccup climbed onto Toothless and held his daughter close as they flew back home. He was glad she was alright, he'd worried when he saw her gone. He'd lost her once before, he would never lose her again. This he promised.
But we can't always keep our promises.
Let me know what you think :)
